Ingot mold



PATENT OFFICE.

nu'r. GATHI'ITANN, OI BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

moor uoLn.

Application fled August 25, 1828. Serial No. 181,860.

This invention relates to an ingot mold of the kind provided with a chamber open at its upper and lower ends and which is su ported on a stool from which it is separab e and particularly to molds of the kind shown, described and claimed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,188,751, of June 27, 1916 and in my application for patent filed November 9, 1925, No. 67,770. It has been quite common tosupport ingot molds on stools or supporting plates during the initial solidification of the ingot and the stools have often been provided with short rojections which enter the openings in the bottom of the molds but I have found that better results are obtained when the stool is formed with a recess of less diameter than the bottom opening of the mold to form .a projection on the lower end of the ingot to facilitate in stripping and when suitable sealing means is used on the stool and around the bottom opening to prevent the leaking of the molten metal between the stool and the mold.

'It is well known to those skilled in the art I that where an open bottom mold is seated on a stool lateral fins are often formed at the junction of the mold and the stool unless special means is employed to prevent such formations. It has been quite common since the issue of my Patent No. 1,188,751 to seal the joint between the mold and the stool by means of slurry or the like applied to the stool and making close contact with the side walls of the bottom opening of the mold, but this way of sealing has not been entirely satisfactory as it 1s somewhat difiicult to apply such material. It is not always applied in such manner as to completely seal the joint and therefore does not always completely seal or operate efiiciently.

According to my invention, instead of employing slurrin or the like for effecting the sealing, I emp oy. a metallic sealln device which is prefer-a ly in the form 0 a ring adapted to rest on the stool and to closely fit the sidewalls of the bottom opening of the mold. The ring is preferably in one piece but is split so that it has suflicient elasticity that it may be slightly collapsed while being inserted and then allowed to expand to thus insure a close contact with the mold walls.

I preferably use new sealing device in connection with a stool having a recess in its upper side ada ted to form a projection on; the bottom of t e ingot which facilitates in stripping the ingot from the mold when it is formed. This recess ispreferably of less diameter than the bottom of the mold and is centrally locatedso' as to form a ledge around;

it on which the sealing ringrests. The stool is also preferably formed with a rib or ribs which assist in centering the mold on the stool 1n such manner that the recess in the stool shall be locatedcentrally beneath the bottom openingQf the mold and thus prov de a supporting ledge for. the sealing device.

My improvements are ,illustr'atedin the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows a verticalsection ofthe upper and lower; ortion's of an ingot mold, the central or m ddle portion of the mold being omitted.

Figure 2 is on an enlarged scale and shows a horizontal section of the mold.

' Figure 3 is a perspective view of the sealmgdevlce.

Figure 4 is a detail view in section of the sealing ring.

The mold A shown is of the well known Gathmann big endup type and is similar in general form to that shown in my application for Patent No. 67,770 above referred to. The mold rests on a stool B which is formed w th means 6 for centering the mold on the stool. Preferably a plurality of ribs are employed and are formed integrally with the body of the stool. The stool B is formed on its upper side with a recess 6'. It is located below the bottom opening of the mold and is of less diameter than the lower end of the said bottom opening. For instance if the diameter of the lower end of the bottom. opening is 12 inches. the diameter of the top of the recess should preferably be about 8 inches or at least sufliciently less than the diameter of said bottom opening that when the mold is seated onithe stool and centered by the ridges b a continuous ledge 0: sur rounding the recess will be formed within the walls of the bottom opening. Thev can tering devices I) are so disposed as to prevent the mold from being moved sidewise to.

suzh an extent as to overlap the recess on any S] e.

The sealing device X is preferably made of low carbon steel and is of such size and shape as to rest on the ledge w and to make close contact with the side walls of the bot-- tom opening of the mold. but the particular kind of metal used may be varied.

The relative diameters of the several members shown are important. The mar in of clearance between the inner lower sur ace of the sealing device and the inner edges of the ledge a: may vary considerably but the stool recess I) should not extend beneath the device as the sealing functions of the device would thus be reduced and liquid steel of the forming ingot might tend to raise the device and possibly leak or exude between the mold bottom and the upper surface of the'stool. The base of the mold and the upper face of the stool should be made quite smooth by machining or otherwise such as by chillcasting the surface in order to insure a smooth, unbroken contact between the mold bottom and the stool and between the lower face of the sealing device and the upper face of the stool.

As before stated, the sealing device is preferably in the form of a split metallic ring. Fi ure 3 illustrates such a ring which is spllt diagonally and made of a diameter which is somewhat greater than the diameter of the bottom opening of the mold so that when the ring is inserted in the mold the ring will be compressed and will adjust itself in such manner as to make close contact with the side walls of the bottom opening. \Vhen thus adjusted the ring will be firmly held in place by its own elasticity. The ring may be inserted either through the td of the mold or through the bottom thereol The mold and stool shown in the drawings are similar to those shown in my appli-' welded or partially welded to the ingot and will be removed from the mold with the ingot during the stripping operation.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sealing device formetallic verticallychambered ingot molds open at top and bottom, said device consisting of a metallic split ring of a larger free diameter than the opening at the bottom of the mold andwhich is adapted to be sprung into contact with the walls at the bottom 0 ening of the mold and to have its lower sur ace rest on a moldsupporting stool.

- 2. A metallic mold provided with an ingot forming chamber 0 an at top and bottom, in combination wit a mold stool having a recess'in communication with the bottom opening of the mold and which is surrounded by an unbroken ledge and a metallic split expansible ring resting on said ledge and held under compression in close contact with the side walls of the bottom opening of the mold.

3. A metallic mold having a mold chamber open at its upper and lower ends in combination with a stool having a recess of less diameter than the bottom openin of the mold with its upper plane located in the same plane as the bottom of the mold and a sealing device in the form of a metallic expansible split ring restin on the stoolaround its recess and held under compression in close contact with the side walls of the bottom opening of the mold.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

- EMIL GATHMANN. 

